Who Will Win the Battle to Start at First Base for Oklahoma?

A majority of Patty Gasso's infield returns in 2026, but the Sooners must find an answer at first base after Cydney Sanders' departure.

Oklahoma's Sydney Barker smiles during one of the Sooners' fall scrimmages. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s infield quickly revealed itself a year ago, meaning Patty Gasso won’t have many questions entering the 2026 campaign. 

Seventy-five percent of the infield will return to start without much outside competition. 

Nelly McEnroe-Marinas is a safe bet to start at third with sophomore Gabbie Garcia alongside her at shortstop, and Ailana Agbayani is expected to reprise her role at second base in her second year with the program. 

Oklahoma third baseman Nelly McEnroe-Marinas emerged as a star as a redshirt freshman in 2025. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Garcia finished third on the team with a .351 batting average last year, and McEnroe-Marinas wasn’t far behind her, hitting .339.

Garcia hammered 18 home runs and McEnroe-Marinas added 15 bombs as the left side of the OU infield delivered highlight plays both on defense and at the plate. 

Agbayani hit .314 a year ago, adding eight doubles, a triple and four home runs while driving in 35 runs. 

The real question for Gasso will come at first base. 

Cydney Sanders graduated, leaving a void at first. 

Sydney Barker is a strong candidate to replace Sanders after coming on strong in the back half of her freshman season. 

Barker finished fourth on the team, hitting .349, while homering eight times in 46 appearances. 

She split time between first and the outfield a year ago, and no matter where she is deployed in the field, she’ll have a major role to play in the Sooners’ offense. 

“She’s gotten stronger,” Gasso said of Barker on Saturday. “She’s got a really good feel at first, but if something happens in the infield, Sydney Barker—she’s been all over the place. She’s been at every position in the infield. She’s worked in the outfield. 

“She’s not behind the plate, but we don’t need that this year, hopefully. So, I’m really happy with her. I think you’ll see her in this lineup consistently.”

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Gasso said she doesn’t necessarily need an everyday starter at first, however. 

“I’ve got lots of options, probably six or seven in line waiting,” she said. “That’s going to come down to the matchups against pitchers that we’re facing.”

Freshman Lexi McDaniel is an infielder by trade, and Gasso has also used her catcher at first in the past when OU needs to fit a bat in the lineup. 

Gasso believes in cross-training players across positions, and she worked a few different players over at first base during Oklahoma’s fall scrimmages. 

Outfielder Kasidi Pickering played a bit of first base this fall, and utility player Tia Milloy has been moved all around the infield and outfield during fall ball the last two years. 

Freshman pitcher Allyssa Parker was also deployed around the infield in the fall, including at shortstop and first base. 

"This is the line that they get from me,” Gasso said. “When you come here, you better be a good defender, but you better be able to play two positions really, really well. 

“Your offense's gonna get you in the game, but playing two positions really well, you have a great chance of getting in the lineup and staying in the lineup. That has kind of been my push. They're figuring that out."